Rydale Country Clothing
Ladies
Men's
Pets
SALE
SHOP OFFERS
Free delivery over £60*
Free Delivery
on orders over £60*

How to Wear Tweed

As a respectable country lady or gentleman, you should own at least one tweed item. It’s a rite of passage for countryside folk! However, many of us don’t wear our tweed items as much as we should because they can be so difficult to style. We tend to wear them just for formal occasions and they see the dust in our wardrobes during the rest of the year. Of course, not all tweed items can be dressed down but most can, with a few casual items.

Here at Rydale, you know we’re all about sticking with a core few pieces to start your own capsule wardrobe. Investing in quality staple items, such as tweed, means you won’t have to replace items often and adding just one new item every so often will create a bunch of new outfits. This goes for country men and women as you’ll notice that you usually grab the same items time after time anyway!

Ladies Tweed Suit

Tweed is considered a staple in country fashion because of its versatility and its ability to turn most outfits from casual to smart with the addition of just one piece. We’ve rounded up our favourite tweed items from our range, from jackets and waistcoats to footwear and accessories. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to style each piece and why we love them so much!

Country ladies

You probably don’t realise just how wearable tweed items can be. More than not, women tend to just wear tweed items for formal occasions because that’s the way it’s always traditionally been styled. However in recent years, tweed has appeared on designer catwalks with a more casual twist so it’s definitely possible to still look classy and put-together in an everyday outfit. A tweed item can easily take a drab, casual outfit into something sophisticated and unexpected.

Lades Patent Loafers

Tweed jacket/coat - One of the easiest pieces to style is a tweed jacket or coat. With lots of pockets and padded, suede shoulders, our styles are traditional with a modern update. From shorter versions or longer lengths down to mid-thigh, there’s a style for any woman or weather! Our jackets and coats are so classic that you can throw them on over any outfit and still look elegant. From jeans and a T-shirt to office wear to a summer dress, a tweed jacket is the perfect outerwear for keeping you warm on a cooler day. Opt for a shorter style during spring/summer and choose a longer version with a hood for autumn/winter. Both styles can be accessorised with a leather handbag and a patterned scarf, a lightweight cotton one when it’s warmer and a chunky wool one when it’s cold outside.

Tweed gilet - A tweed gilet is perfect for warmer days because it’s more lightweight than a jacket or coat but still keeps its functionality with lots of pockets. Our sleek designs are less bulky than a padded style but still offer some protection when there’s a slight chill in the area. Gilets are the perfect item for layering as you can wear as many or as few layers underneath as you wish. For cooler days, a long-sleeved T-shirt underneath should be enough but cable knit jumpers, collared shirts and sweatshirts will keep you warm during cold spells. If you know you’ll wear lots of layers underneath, it’s worth sizing up so you don’t feel restricted underneath; otherwise, our gilets fit true to size.

Men's Tweed Suit

Tweed blazer + waistcoats - Now we’re going into formalwear. A tweed blazer and/or waistcoat is ideal for dressy occasions but can be dressed down. We’re big fans of wearing a tweed blazer or waistcoat with jeans for those smart-casual events, where you’re unsure of just how formal the dress code is! Wear a blazer and waistcoat together for formal occasions or separate for a more casual, day-to-day look. It is a must to buy the exact same tweed for both pieces as mixing tweed is a huge fashion no-no. A collared shirt underneath will never go out of style, whether it’s a casual or formal occasion.

Tweed skirt - You might not think it but a tweed skirt is an easy piece to dress up or down. Pair with a waistcoat, a blazer and a smart shirt for a formal, office wear look. Finish off that look with smart leather or patent brogues or loafers and you’ll mean business! Alternatively, wear with a cable knit jumper and flats for a dressed down look for coffee dates with friends and family or shopping trips. A tweed skirt will never look super casual so don’t wear a tweed skirt with trainers or hoodies ever!

Country men

Whilst classic tweed is a staple for country men, it’s not always the easiest material to style. More often than not, you’ll be dressed too formal (as if you’re off to a wedding) or like a farmer (too much tweed is perfect for shooting and farming, and that’s it). Whilst both of those looks are great for the occasions mentioned, they’re not for every day style. 

Tweed jacket/coat - Let’s start with the essentials. A tweed jacket or coat will see you through all the seasons. Our styles have lots of pockets, with room for plenty of layers underneath too. Jackets and coats tend to be less structured than a blazer so feel a little more casual. They’re an easy to wear jacket for everyday use. Wear them over your office wear on the way to work, pair with a cosy jumper and jeans for nights at the pub or wear over a T-shirt and chinos during the summer if there’s a slight chill in the air. Whilst they are traditionally sold as shooting jackets, tweed jackets are versatile enough to wear much more often. You can’t go wrong with a classic country checked shirt underneath though, whether you’re off to the office or the pub!

Men's Brogue Shoes

Tweed gilet - When the weather gets warmer, a jacket or coat is a bit too much to wear every day. A tweed gilet is a casual version of a jacket for warmer days. It still has plenty of pockets so it’s just as functional. Tweed gilets are such an easy item to have by the front door to just grab and go, whether you’re off to drive the children around or running errands for yourself. Our gilets all come in neutral colours that go with everything for even more versatility. Our shooting gilets are slightly more streamlined so work well with less layers underneath. However, our regular tweed gilets are just padded enough to keep you warm but big enough to layer up underneath.

Tweed blazer + waistcoats - For the ultimate country smart guy look, a tweed blazer and waistcoat are the perfect partnership. This is a look that you can wear for the office, weddings and any formal occasions alike. Wear the two pieces together for formal occasions and separate them for a smart-casual look. You should always wear a collared shirt underneath a tweed blazer or waistcoat to keep it within the smart category. However, for more casual occasions, we like to wear ours with a pair of jeans and smart brogue shoes!

Tweed has a reputation for being difficult to wear but with a few simple styling tweaks, it’s much more wearable than you might think. It’s all about keeping the overall look smart without being too formal for everyday wear. Stick with our tips and you’ll be able to wear your tweed as much as you want to!

Copyright Rydale Country Clothing | YTC Ltd 3768619